"I think for us, (also) looking at those three other candidates that aren't in the runoff now and seeing if we can bring them to the table, because they had great ideas and talked about some things that I was really interested in," he said.

Woods came in second with 3,069 votes or 27.56%, with 261 votes more than Jimmy Eldridge.

"I just feel like people came out and we did a very aggressive job of just reaching the voters," Woods said.

"This is a grassroots campaign. We started out with this theme that there is a place for everyone in this campaign, if they want to be part of it. We had a lot of small donations and we're just excited," he said.

What Conger campaigned on

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Scott Conger received 34.14% of the votes in the 2019 mayoral election. Conger will face Jerry Woods in a runoff election in June.
Kenneth Cummings, Jackson Sun

"I have a tangible plan," Conger said. "There's steps to the plan and we're going to keep on those initiatives that we've had since August."

Conger is former city councilman who represented District 5 from 2011 to 2017 when he stepped down from his seat after moving out of the district. He is the current president and CEO of the West Tennessee United Way.

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2019 Jackson mayoral candidate Scott Conger laughs with his treasurer Norwood Jones after making a speech to his supporters on Tuesday at the DoubleTree Hotel in Jackson. Conger will face candidate Jerry Woods in a run-off in June.(Photo: KENNETH CUMMINGS/The Jackson Sun)

He is also the grandson of Bob Conger, who served as Jackson Mayor from 1967-1989.

Coincidentally, the last Jackson mayoral runoff in 1971 involved Bob Conger, who defeated George Smith.

What Woods campaigned on

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Jerry Woods received 27.56% of the votes in the 2019 mayoral election. Woods will face Scott Conger in a runoff election in June.
Adam Friedman, NA

Woods' campaign championed his education background, focusing on his experience as a former superintendent and former interim vice president of Lane College.

"I want to focus on pushing more on the education and my education experience (translating to the office of mayor)," Woods said. "We've got to work a little harder on our schools and that's what we're going to push on. Stronger public schools."

Along with his position at Lane College, Woods was a superintendent of schools in Covington, Clinton and Forrest City, Arkansas.

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Jerry Woods hugs a supporter after securing a spot in a runoff against Scott Conger in the 2019 mayoral election on Tuesday.(Photo: ADAM FRIEDMAN/The Jackson Sun)

Reach Adam Friedman by email at afriedman@jacksonsun.com, by phone at 731-431-8517 or follow him on Twitter @friedmanadam5.